


So far to go

by BaronVonChop



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Gruff Dad Han Is Best Han
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-19
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-12-31 15:38:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12135600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaronVonChop/pseuds/BaronVonChop
Summary: TheMillennium Falconhas arrived on Takodana, but there are a few things Han needs to do before they head out to Maz's castle.





	So far to go

The _Millennium Falcon_ eased down into the clearing on Takodana, the ship’s landing struts settling into the soft ground. Jets of steam exhaled from the underside of the starship, blown gently by a breeze coming over the lake.

Han Solo sighed and sat back in the captain’s chair. “Well, here we are.” He turned to look at Rey and Finn. Part of him wondered why it didn’t feel stranger to have Rey in the copilot’s chair. In the back of Han’s mind he knew that he would not be the _Falcon’s_ captain forever. It brought back memories of taking Ben up in the _Falcon_ … but Han stopped himself from following that line of thought.

Finn nodded toward the castle visible around the curve of the lake. “So we’re going there?”

Han didn’t respond immediately. He tried to tell himself that he was only here to bring them to Maz. Then all this, whatever it was, would be Maz’s problem. “Yeah,” Han said at last. “It’s a bit of a walk, but the scenery’s nice.”

Rey and Finn stood and made their way out of the cockpit. Han sat for another moment, lost in thought. Rey and Finn looked like they were about the same age that Luke and Leia had been when Han had first met them. Han saw in them the same need to keep pushing forward to keep from looking back. Sometimes it felt like he, Luke, and Leia had never stopped to rest since the day they escaped the first Death Star.

Han stood, feeling his knees creak. He stretched until his back gave a satisfying pop, then followed his young passengers into the main crew area. Chewie looked up from where he was resting in the relief pilot bunk. The Wookiee raised his eyebrows and gave an inquisitive grunt.

“Nah, pal, you keep resting,” Han said, waving the Wookiee back down.

Finn stood up from talking to BB-8 and turned in place. “Which way is the ramp again?”

Rey pointed, smiling patiently. “Of course, the ship’s layout is a circle, so you could go either direction and eventually you’d get there.”

Finn looked at Han. “So we should probably head out, right?” He and Rey turned to go, already preparing themselves to face whatever came next. 

Han was fairly sure that they knew what they were doing. The sooner they reached Maz’s castle, the sooner Han could leave again, knowing his part in all this was over. “Right, yeah,” he murmured.

Rey looked at him. “Is something wrong?”

Finn paused, waiting for Han’s response.

Han looked around. “No, it’s just uh…” He put his hands on his hips, still avoiding eye contact. “When was the last time you two had something to eat, huh?” Maz’s castle would still be there after they had eaten, he told himself.

Without a pause, Rey said, “I could eat.”

Han raised his eyebrows. Clearly here was someone who would never pass up an opportunity for food.

“Yeah,” Finn agreed. “My last meal was… well, a lot’s happened since my last meal.”

Han nodded, as much to himself as to the kids. “Okay. Let’s see what we can find.”

Rey’s eyebrows drew together. “How long has it been since you were on this ship? Whatever food you stored here must be gone by now.”

Han gave a lopsided, weary smile. “Don’t be so sure. We hid some stuff pretty well, for emergencies. Chewie thinks I don’t know where he keeps--”

Chewie cut him off with a warbling hoot, half-pleading, half-threatening.

“Sorry,” Han said, raising his hands in a placating gesture, “But it’s our best bet for finding something we stashed away where nobody would find it. Plus, there’s no chance that it’s gone bad.”

Chewie grumbled something Rey didn’t catch, since she wasn’t very familiar with spacer Wookiee slang.

“I’ll buy you more the first chance we get,” Han promised. Chewie gave Han a reproachful look, but he did not protest further. “You two should sit down,” Han said, waving at the bench by the holochess table. “And you,” he pointed to BB-8, “plug in and charge, or something. I’ll be right back.”

Han walked counter-clockwise around the ship’s circular main passage, in the opposite direction of the landing ramp. Past the port airlock were the crew quarters. Han frowned at the bunks, wondering how many strangers had slept on board the ship that was more his home than any other place on the galaxy.

Shaking his head, he walked into the ‘fresher and felt around behind the sink until his fingers found a dummy pipe. He wiggled it until it came loose and withdrew a bundle wrapped into slick dried leaves before putting the pipe back in place.

Rey and Finn looked up when Han returned to the crew area. Han unwrapped the bundle. “This is gnoshr. It’s a Wookiee food, and there’s no way it’s gone bad,” Han promised. Inside the bundle were several withered, fleshy wads. Rey immediately reached for one, and Finn only hesitated a moment before taking one, too. Han explained, “The Wookiees make it out of some kind of gourd. It can last for decades, or so I’ve heard. It’s impossible to find anywhere but Kashyyyk.”

Chewie muttered something about appreciating good food as he watched Rey and Finn eat. Finn paused a few times to chew hard while peering dubiously at the fibrous lump in his hands, but Rey wolfed it down. Han stepped over to his copilot and handed him the bundle. “Here, you should have some, too.” The Wookiee took the remaining gnoshr with a grunt and bark.

“I know,” said Han. “But you wouldn’t want them to go hungry, would you?”

Chewbacca gave him an articulate look but stayed quiet, tearing into the food with his strong teeth. He chewed and swallowed, then grumbled a question at Han.

“That’s only fair,” Han replied. He had known it was coming, and he did not admit to himself that he was glad for another excuse to stay on the ship a little while longer. He went to the cockpit and slid a panel aside, reached around some wires, and pulled out a crinkly bag. He slid the panel back and returned to find Chewbacca offering some of his food to Rey, who had already finished. When Chewie saw Han returning, he tossed the food to Rey, then turned onto his side facing the wall, pretending to still be upset about having to share his snack.

Finn stopped gnawing at the gnoshr’s tough rind, his face brightening at the bag in Han’s hands. “What’s that?”

“These,” Han said, opening the bag and tipping it toward Finn to reveal hard, brownish-red lumps, “are Devaronian flameseeds.” He took one out of the bag and bit it in half, crunching as he chewed. “Still good,” he said, and ate the second half.

Finn put his leftover gnoshr down on the holochess table. “Mind if I --”

“Be my guest.” Han offered him the bag and Finn took several.

Chewie called over at them. Finn looked at Rey. “What did he say?”

“He said Han had better--”

“He said,” Han cut in, “that he knows I’m happy to share my food, since he was so generous in sharing his.” Rey smiled and did not contradict him, while Chewie chuckled loudly.

Finn had barely started to chew a fireseed before he cried out and started panting, his eyes watering. When he had managed to swallow the food, he gave Han a sharp look. “That’s really hot! You could have warned me!”

Han shrugged, half-smiling. “That’s how you know they’re still good.” He ate another one.

After fanning his mouth for a moment, Finn smiled, too. He kept eating, though now he ate the flameseeds in smaller bites.

Han gave Rey some, too, followed by Chewie. When the bag was empty, he tossed it into the waste bin.

“We should probably head out,” Rey said.

Finn glanced around the room. “Do you have any spare blasters on the ship?”

Of course. Wherever they were going, they were sure to need blasters, eventually. But there was no need to go quite yet. “Before we get started,” Han said, “everyone should use the ‘fresher. It’s in the crew quarters, around that way.” He pointed. He knew he was delaying the inevitable, but he couldn’t help it. “And while you’re back there, make sure you get a drink of water at the galley. The cups are in the cabinet in the corner. At least, they were,” he added.

Finn and Rey left in the direction Han had pointed. Han waited a few moments, then walked over to Chewie. “They seem all right, huh?”

Chewie nodded, warbling a soft reply.

“Just trying to be a good host,” Han said, a little defensively. He sighed. “They don’t know what they’re getting into, do they?”

Chewie considered that before replying, his voice gentle.

Han nodded, his eyes faraway. These two kids might try to resist it, but it would sweep them along, and there was no knowing where they would find themselves before it was over. “I hope so, pal. I hope so.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks, as always, to my wonderful beta reader for advice and encouragement!


End file.
